The Game
by Xx Artemis Rox mi Sox xX
Summary: This Halloween, Artemis is in for a little surprise and it all started with a simple game... [Xx Artemis Rox mi Sox Halloween Special!] Sorry for the delay!


**T**h_E_**G**Am_E_

_To XxTotallyObsessedxX who is awesome. Thank you for staying and thank you to all of my friends on the forum. Love you all!_

Artemis muttered uncharacteristic swears under his breath while he loomed the teeming sidewalk. Beside him was a centaur and an elf is disguise. Well not really a disguise; just a Halloween costume. Neither of their costumes were irregular, but they still stood out. This never would have happened if it weren't for Foaly and his stupid smart tactics. All because of that stupid game! Artemis thought bitterly. Artemis looked ridiculous in his costume, which wasn't really a costume- just a lot of paint. Holly felt and half-way looked like a slut, but otherwise, she was content at the human chocolate they were receiving. Holly was a chocoholic. That was a fact.

So the harsh winds blew against the branches of the oaks and the birch trees while the leaves danced all through the air. It couldn't have been a better night. It was partly humid, but the wind was a nice touch that made the night a crisp Halloween. The children ran around singing their songs and getting candy and chocolate of all sorts. "Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat!" the children yelled. They all groaned when organic apples were placed in their bags.

Ah, yes, a fine day for Hallows Day. The stars shone where there weren't patches of fluffy cloud and the moon was but a crescent. The trio walked up the steps of a house Foaly had pointed to and rang the doorbell. The door opened with a creak and- "Whoa…" said the baffled man standing in the doorway. "Err, nice costumes." While Holly and Artemis were silently fuming, Foaly smiled. His backside was not a costume and this nice man was complimenting it.

"Why, thank you!" Foaly said charmingly, holding out a bag. Holly did the same and they both nudged Artemis. Artemis sighed. He really felt like crawling into a hole and dying at the moment.

"Trick or treat." He muttered through his teeth. The man just chuckled and nodded, placing chocolate into the three bags. Artemis growled as Holly mulled over her Kit Kat. She had gotten his favourite, of course. He sighed and closed his bag. Artemis wasn't a big candy or chocolate eater anyways. The streets began to clear, but Foaly and Artemis were still unhappy. Holly always got the good stuff. A group of children ran by singing a song the three hadn't heard yet this particular evening.

"_Trolls and goblins, sprites and bats,  
We're not afraid of this and that.  
They are only make-believe,  
Only outfits on Halloween.  
Trolls and goblins, sprites and bats,  
__We're not afraid of this and that."_

Holly, Foaly and Artemis couldn't help but laugh as the children ran away.

* * *

Artemis sat in the hot steamy water of his bath tub while Holly scrubbed at his painted black arms. The paint wasn't as washable as Foaly said it would be. Of could he wasn't allowed to come in Artemis's home (he didn't want hoofs on his carpet), so Holly was made - I mean - volunteered to help Artemis clean his skin. The steam streaming off the bath cleared Holly's head, so she didn't really mind. Artemis was wearing his black briefs, of course, so obviously he wasn't naked. She snickered. Artemis swore on his own life that he didn't wear briefs. Holly was only too disappointed when she found only boxers in his doors. Plan of Fowl embarrassment terminated.

Artemis opened his eyes to her snicker and looked over. A smile reached his lips. The night hadn't too horrible… Though Artemis could hardly remember how it all started. It had started when he was on his computer, innocently hacking into Foaly's systems. He remembered his cell phone ringing…

"Hello?" Artemis asked into the cell phone's speaker. Devil's Night was the perfect night for Artemis to play a little prank on Foaly. It wasn't anything big; he was just messing around with his invention plans in his special files. It was dark out and not even midnight. Artemis could tell who was on the other line. It was Foaly. What if he had been caught? Oh well, didn't matter to him much. As long as he had a little fun.

"Artemis? There's something wrong." Artemis was about to ask what the problem was but he was interrupted. "Holly and I are here right now!" Artemis had a minor heart attack.

"Here?" he hissed, knowing his parents would be sleeping. Artemis bound down the stairs in time to hear a soft knocking at his front door. He knew that Butler and his parents would kill him for opening the door without knowing who is was. Most of the Fowls had died by assassination, after all, but Artemis knew who it would be. He swung the door open and glared. "Juliet is going to be _very_ angry if she has to clean up more hoof prints."

"Boo." Holly laughed and Foaly joined her. They were under white sheets with little holes for eyes.

"Classy." Artemis commented dryly with a smirk as he welcomed them in. Of course, Artemis made Foaly shove on two pairs of Butler's tube socks before coming in. Foaly muttered something about 'human feet' but Artemis didn't pay attention. He turned his gaze to Holly, who was shrugging off her sheet. "So," he began while interlocking his fingers. "What brings you to the land of the mud?"

Holly chuckled and grabbed Artemis by the collar, quickly dragging him through the long halls. "Oh nothing. We're just going to play a game." Holly settled him in an armchair and Foaly trotted into the room at his best act at nonchalance. His smugness got the better of him.

"Okay, this is how it goes." Foaly said excited and buoyant. Holly sat on the sofa across from Artemis and crossed her legs, waiting patiently. "We are all going to go trick or treating tomorrow with costumes." Artemis frowned slightly as Foaly continued. He hadn't gone trick or treating since he was three and that was the only time. His mother made him go and he was the scariest thing ever…himself. "But we wouldn't be the ones choosing our costumes. We'll start going clockwise-"

"No, no, no." Holly scolded, playfully wagging her finger at him and smirking. "It's counterclockwise. Just like always. Scared about what the mud boy might make you do?"

"Of course not!" Foaly hollered, offended and outraged. "It's my turn first!"

"Wait… You mean to say you came all the way here to play a silly game?" Artemis said with disagreement thick in every word. Foaly was just too willing to ignore him. Well of course they did. Artemis was the one always bugging him that no one but Holly every came to say hello.

Foaly bent over to whisper in Holly's ear. Her eyes widened and then she cursed in Gnommish under her breath. That anger lead to a little spark in her imagination. She bent over to Artemis's ear next and oh-so-passionately told him his fate. He glared at her in return and walked over to Foaly whispering something very nasty, indeed.

"Hey!" Foaly shouted once more. Artemis shushed him. His parents, brothers and bodyguards were sleeping. "That is offensive to my race." He said snottily.

Artemis crossed his arms and grinned evilly. "Well then back out. Quit. You'll only be a more of a loser you already are so, go ahead." Foaly fumed slightly and fell into Artemis's own game. Holly was enjoying this.

The next day was frightening. Artemis was going to back down, but Foaly triggered him with the same tactic. No matter what, Artemis's would end up dying a little bit inside. The result- pain and anguish. Holly told him what he had to wear, and it would damage _anybody_ with a huge ego. Black briefs with a long fluffy tail. His skin was painted black and whiskers where on his cheeks. He was Artemis. Artemis _the black cat_.

Holly's costume was a jaw-dropper. That's exactly what Artemis and Foaly did when they saw her. She had hair extensions, a very short pale purplish dress, high black boots and a long black cashmere raincoat to go with it. She was a character on a popular show on one of the most popular (and only) drama show networks. It was called _Between the Lines_ about a serial killer who killed people out of books written by authors. Holly particularly liked the show, but hated the actor who played _Investigator Clair Monitanta_. Most of the viewers didn't like her anyways because she was too unrealistic. Ahm, otherwise known as the slutiest character on fairy television. Of course, that's just the reason why all the men loved her.

Holly laughed when she saw Foaly. It was quite ironic for the centaur. He was a cowboy, horse, man and all. It might have been the easiest costume, but Artemis picked the perfect one. He was in a white flannel shirt with the good-old-fashioned cowboy hat. There was just one problem… "No!" Foaly screamed, running around the Fowl household a hour before they started their fun. "Not my hat! Not my tinfoil hat!" But it was already too late. Artemis and Holly had snatched it before he could react. Poor Foaly indeed.

When Artemis looked back to the previous two nights, it really didn't seem that bad. He actually had a little fun. Artemis winced. He would never admit it. Holly looked up, thinking his grimace was caused by her. "Sorry," she murmured softly. Artemis sighed and tried to smile politely at her.

"You don't have to stay here Holly. Why don't you go home? I'll get this." Holly looked up in surprised, but shook her head and began scrubbing once more.

"Artemis, really. It's okay. Did you have fun?" she inquired smiling lightly. Artemis only scoffed and rolled his eyes. Did he have fun? Little; and he doubted she had much fun, so it didn't matter.

"A bit. Did you have fun? A caught many people looking at your costume." As he chuckled darkly she cuffed him on the side of his head. Artemis rubbed his head lightly and turned to her direction where a pair of black glaring eyes were burning into his face. He felt compelled to look away.

Out of all the things that should scare you on Halloween, no one terrified him like Holly did and she was there all year 'round.

* * *

How was that my little duckies? I know it's a little late for a Halloween special, but I tried to get it out on time. Thank you to Nikki who looked this over for me.

Your Evil Authoress once more,  
Shannon

_**More to follow…**_


End file.
